Should the WWE join modern television in gaining ratings?

[Matt7584]

So if you watch basic TV and cable in the last 5-10 years, you would have noticed that most shows introduce a gay character to either gain ratings or try to show young people that its OK to be gay. I am not saying the WWE should pull a TNA Orlando Jordan and freak everyone out, or Eric Bishoff's H.L.A., or billy and chuck marriage and Dawn Marie/Torrie Wilson blackmail during the post attitude era. I am saying to introduce a character that opens up to crowd about his or her life and does nothing sexual in the ring. Not only would this fit into the PG era but it would gain national exposure and possibly give a ratings boost.

Personally i am not a fan of this idea and it might have a lot to do with my own personal homophobia. However this would show that WWE is concerned with young teens and adults dealing with coming out of the closet and paint that person in an appropriate light. This person obviously should be a legit wrestler and someone who could be crowd favorite.

What do you think?

 

[shadowmaster9000]

I am definitely against this idea. For one, it is wrestling not some teen drama. Just stick with professional wrestling.

 

[Ace Sleeper]

I wouldn't be surprised if Santino ends up gay for his next gimmick.

No, I don't think they should do this. It's very hard for them to introduce someone like this without offending people. Especially the way they do these things. Rico, Billy and Chuck were all examples of how when they try to add a homosexual character into the wrestling biz, it looks really bad. Not them being homosexual, but the way they portray them as homosexual. I have no problems with homosexual's in there, that's not the problem. The thing is, when they try to add a 'character' that's gay, it ends up being a giant screw up.

I think it's safer just to keep away from this. Especially with more kids watching now to be honest. The way the WWE does things, it could probably end up making some kids anti-gay.

 

[Lucha-Libre is wrestling]

The wwe has always has use some gay gimmick since the 1980's and they been very entertaining, but the problem is that the gay community always had and will keep having a problem with how wwe presents its gay characters. Most gay people if not all have a mental issue, 1st they complain if wrestling doesn't give them a opportunity, but when wrestling makes up a gay character they start to cry wrestling and their fans are making fun of us. I can care less for the gay lifestyles, but I have to admit wwe has had many funny gay wrestlers and segments. P.S. Santino already did his gay sketch as Santina. If a guy dressing and talking like a woman ain't gay what the hell is gay lol .

 

[Jay_Dee_007]

I agree with most on here. Introducing a gay character would only amount to ridicule for the character and the WWE itself. Vince would and could never make a serious gay storyline. Ever. Plus with WWE going PG, the network wouldn't let that fly either.

And with wrestling fans like ace2 (who make comments that makes all us other wrestling fans look like back-woods, toothless rednecks) the gimmick wouldn't get off the ground anyway.

I think the closest we're gonna get to a character like that would be Rico, Billy, Chuck, and earlier Goldust. All of which were just for parody.

 

[Nev]

The WWE has done this before and pulled a real, actual lesbian angle back in 03 I believe and got a ton of heat for it and Spike! even had to apologize.

If they couldn't do it then*, no way in hell its going to happen in the PG era.

 

[CrayzChris]

I'm sure there are already gay wrestlers in the WWE, and the fact that the WWE doesn't exploit them does way more for "gay rights" than creating a gay character would.

 

[Tech N9ne]

I say no. I am just not feeling that idea at all.

I don't think WWE is desperate enough at this time to pull anything like that. Nor should they be anytime soon.

The ratings might not be as high as they used to be. But, they have no reason to panic. WWE is in no danger of folding or going out of business. The idea of the OP is just too overboard and sounds like a random reason just to get Matt7584's post count up and a quick subject to make a thread on.

 

[JGlass]

I don't think introducing a gay character to the WWE would help garner a boost in ratings. The WWE aims at a niche market, a very different market than shows like Glee, Grey's Anatomy, or The Office. They appeal to fans who crave drama that is resolved through violence, and people who don't mind watching two oily men grapple with each other in a ring.

I wouldn't say wrestling fans are homophobic my nature (or else they probably wouldn't watch wrestilng), but I don't think a gay character would appeal to them. I think a gay character could make for some interesting programming, especially if they billed him as a face and as sort of an outcast because of his sexuality, but he could really spell a lot of trouble for the WWE. There will be arenas that don't respond well to the character, they could lose the support of the religious-right fans, they could offend gay and lesbian rights groups, it just seems like something that would do more harm than good for the WWE.